Dreaming up the Dallas Mavericks' ultimate starting 5, 5 years from now

Center: Dereck Lively II

After playing just one season for the Dallas Mavericks, Dereck Lively II is looking like he is going to be Dallas' starting center for a long time.

The growth that Lively II showed throughout his rookie year was remarkable, and fans should be excited about his potential in year two. As a rookie, Lively II averaged 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 74.7 percent from the field.

Lively II was excellent in the pick and roll and on defense, but there is much more to his game that could be on the way soon. He is open to starting to shoot threes in games, and Jason Kidd has complemented his scoring out of the post with both hands in training camp. Lively II's game is developing in front of everyone's eyes, and he is just now starting to scratch the surface.

If everything continues to go as planned with Lively II, he'll be a star at this point in his career. Lively II is only 20 years old, and his potential is endless. He also happens to already have great chemistry with Luka Doncic even though they've only played one season together, and they could be the star duo of the future for the Mavs.

Dallas has been looking for a dominant big to hold down the paint for some time now, and that's exactly what they have in Lively II. He is a great fit in Dallas on and off the floor, and he is someone who could go down as a Mavs legend if he continues to improve on both ends of the floor.